Kolkata Knight Riders have tried different opening combinations but so far, nothing has worked for them in IPL 2025. Quinton de Kock, Moeen Ali, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz have partnered with Sunil Narine, but a good opening partnership has eluded KKR this season.
Last season, the regular starts that Narine and Phil Salt gave KKR were one of the main reasons behind their title-winning run. But this year, neither Narine nor any of the openers have been able to get KKR off to a decent start. Former India pacer RP Singh suggested a rethink for KKR.
RP Singh said KKR should play one overseas player less and open with Narine and Venkatesh Iyer. “Sunil Narine is an impactful player He is a good batsman. KKR have benefited from his batting in the past. He can work on his preparation,” said RP Singh, JioStar IPL Expert, addressing the media ahead of the ‘Revenge Week’ clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings.
The former left-arm pacer said Venkatesh Iyer, who made a name for himself in the IPL at the top of the order, can be tried as an opener.
Reduce one foreign player. And get Venkatesh Iyer as an opener. I think Narine should stay. His batting performance is important. Venkatesh Iyer can open Narine. And use the power of Rahman Powell. It’s not a bad option. It happens a lot. Looking at the nets, current form, and surrounding scenarios. Coaches and support staff assess who is in the best form.
KKR costliest pick in the mega auction, Venkatesh Iyer, has been a major disappointment this year. Apart from one half-century, the lanky left-hander hardly has anything to show for in the 18th season.
“KKR have invested a lot Venkatesh Iyer. He has given a lot of time. Let him be an opener,” RP Singh said.
Venkatesh Iyer should be given more responsibility
When India’s 2007 T20 World Cup-winning cricketer was asked about the auction price ( ₹23.75 crore) that KKR paid to Iyer, he said the management should have given him more responsibility and appointed him captain.
“When you make a player a part of your team in such a big auction, you must be thinking about whether he will be our main player or our captaincy material. But both those things are not there. I think KKR management has made a mistake. When you left your best captain (Shreyas Iyer) at the auction table, somebody will definitely pick him and now he’s captaining well at PBKS.”
RP Singh added that Iyer must be under a lot of pressure to justify his price tag. “At this moment, I don’t think it will be wise to drop Iyer. You have given him a number of matches. You can only get a quality player back in form by giving him more matches. The money given to him to make him a part of the team may be playing in his mind. ‘I have received so much money, why can’t I make my team a champion?’ There is an overpressure,” he said.